


Confessions

by jemtessa



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Aromantic Character, Asexual Character, Coming Out, Confessions, Fix-It, Friendship, Gen, Platonic Relationships, aromantic asexual raphael
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-30
Updated: 2017-06-30
Packaged: 2018-11-21 16:48:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11361537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jemtessa/pseuds/jemtessa
Summary: A Fix-it fic where Raphael not only comes out as asexual AND aromantic, like he should have, he also says the words. Set during Shadowhunters 2x10.REPRESENTATION MATTERS!





	Confessions

“Kiss me,” Isabelle whispered, leaning up towards Raphael's lips. Raphael stared down at her, wanting to recoil, the effects of the shadowhunter blood was wearing off. He could no longer keep Isabelle in the dark, and his mind was now clearer than ever. He didn't want this. He never did. It wasn't because he was ashamed of who he was that kept him from telling Isabelle the truth, but the thirst for more of her blood and the reactions people had in the past. People usually acted differently around him after he told them the truth, as if he wasn't the same person he was a few seconds before.

Raphael adjusted himself, he felt the uncomforting feeling of how close Isabelle was to him returning.  
“It's not like that,” he whispered softly. Isabelle sat up, a hurt and confused look in her eyes. “I'm not like that. I'm just not interested in sex. I'm asexual.”  
The truth was that was only the half of the truth, but Raphael decided not to admit to everything in one go. Allow Isabelle to adjust, because sometimes it could be too much.  
“Being a vampire made you this way?” she asked, a hint of sadness behind her voice. Their gaze remained interlocked.  
“No. I've always been like this,” Raphael reaffirmed. Isabelle continued to stare at him, this time with a look that was too familiar. The look of pty. He  _hated_ that look, if he could he would rip out every person's throat that looked at him that way. Isabelle still remained close,  _too_ close for his comfort. “Isabelle, I—there's something else.”

  
Raphael shifted away slightly, finally breaking Isabelle's gaze. Without even looking at her he could feel her intense stare on him, as if she was ready to kill him at any given second.  
“I don't want you to think that I lead you on. The blood, the angel blood, it changed me. The addiction made me believe that I was experiencing something that I've always known that I haven't. I should have told you sooner, but I got addicted fast, faster than I ever did on human blood,” he paused, gathering his thoughts. Thinking about the best way he could possibly say this.   
“What are you trying to tell me?” Isabelle asked, placing her hand into his. Raphael quickly pulled away, stunning Isabelle in the process.   
“I'm also aromantic,” he said finally, it was if the weight had finally been lifted off of his shoulders. Raphael wasn't sure why he found it so hard to tell the truth to Isabelle, he thought that maybe it was because he enjoyed spending time with her, and he valued her as one of his closest friends. And he didn't want to lose her because of this.  Like the many he had lost before.  
“Okay,” she breathed. Raphael turned to see Isabelle shifting away slightly. Putting more space between them. Raphael felt the uncomforting feeling slip away as she moved. She turned to him and smiled sweetly. “Friends then?”  
He turned to her amazed.  
“What? Really? You don't hate me? Or pity me?” he asked rapidly. He had never experienced this before, he felt genuinely happy.  
“If I'm honest I am a little hurt. But this isn't about me it's about you, and your boundaries. Once the effects of the blood wore off you keep me in the dark. You told me the truth not knowing if I'd take it good or bad. And I'm grateful for it. I don't pity you, Raphael. We're just different. Just like how we are different species. And that's okay,” she smiled softly.

Raphael didn't know how to react. No one, other than Magnus who had helped him discover who he was, had been this kind and understanding. Isabelle's look had changed once he had revealed the truth. There was no longer pity in her eyes, just understanding.  
“Thank you,” he whispered, smiling slightly.  
“That's what friends do, right? They understand and support each other,” she smiled. “Any time you feel uncomfortable or if I'm breaking one of your boundaries please feel free to tell me. I don't  _ever_ want to make you feel uncomfortable again.”  
Raphael nodded, and Isabelle smiled back at him.

The two of them sat and bonded, beginning to form a beautiful new friendship. Sharing stories of their past and of secrets that they felt they could only trust with one of their best friends with. A vampire and a shadowhunter, becoming the closest of friends, a duo that could bring the world to it's knees. 


End file.
